Adobe Illustrator CS3

FAQ

Product information

What is Adobe Illustrator CS3?

Adobe® Illustrator® CS3 software is the essential vector drawing tool for originating designs that go everywhere. The Adobe Creative Suite® 3 family of software offers a choice of design environments, and Illustrator CS3 is an integral part of each. Precision drawing and typographic controls, advanced live effects, powerful object blends, brushes, color exploration tools, and much more provide the vector tools you need, no matter what your medium.

What are the key new features and benefits of Illustrator CS3?

Illustrator CS3 — the 13th full release of Illustrator — delivers exciting new and enhanced features in three key areas: creative power, ease of use, and integration.

Creative power

Live Color

Explore, apply, and control color using Live Color, which lets you quickly create color harmonies and dynamically apply colors to artwork. Use the Color Guide panel to choose tints, shades, or harmonious color combinations, which you can save as Color groups in the Swatches panel. The Live Color dialog box lets you test alternative color schemes for a logo or create captivating color shifts for use in animations created with Adobe Flash® CS3 Professional. When you need to reduce the number of colors in your artwork, Live Color intelligently remaps existing colors to new colors based on parameters you define, such as restricting the colors to a specific color library.

Point selection

Anchor points now automatically enlarge as you mouse over them so they are easily seen and selected. Even with no objects selected, the cursor shows a large square anywhere it detects a point. There are also preferences for setting the selection tolerance and the display characteristics of anchor points and handles.

Path editing

Now access path-editing tools and options from the Control panel, first introduced in Illustrator CS2. When points are selected, the Control panel shows the tools to delete and add points, cut and join paths, or convert anchors to smooth or corner. A one-click option for hiding and showing control handles is included in the Control panel.

Point alignment

You can now align and distribute points in the same way as you align and distribute objects, with the needed options displayed in the Control panel. Points can also be aligned to the artboard or to a crop area.

Improved operating performance

The underlying architecture of Illustrator has been improved to enable you to work faster. Scroll, pan, zoom, move, scale, and transform objects more quickly. Enjoy more responsiveness when you're working on complex artwork. Multithreading advances translate into even better performance if you're using multiple CPUs.

Ease of use

Control panel

The context-sensitive Control panel now puts even more tools at your fingertips. Access anchor-point controls, selection tools, clipping masks, envelope distortions, and more, all displayed as needed in the Control panel depending upon the objects selected.

Eraser tool

The new Eraser tool provides a fluid and intuitive way to modify objects or create entirely new, organic shapes. Quickly remove areas of artwork as easily as you erase pixels in Adobe Photoshop® software by stroking with your mouse or stylus over any shape or set of shapes. New paths will automatically be created along the edges of your erased stroke with points laid down economically, but still preserving the smoothness of your erasure.

Isolation mode

Edit objects in a group without disturbing other parts of your artwork. Isolation mode let you easily select hard-to-find objects without having to restack, lock, or hide layers. All objects are grayed out except for the selected object to provide intuitive visual feedback.

Integration

Integration with Adobe Flash

Import native Illustrator files into Flash CS3 Professional, or copy and paste artwork from Illustrator to Flash with paths, anchor points, gradients, clipping masks, and symbols intact. Layers, groups, and object names are also preserved. In addition, Symbol options in Illustrator CS3 now include defining a symbol type as a movie clip or graphic symbol, assigning the symbol a registration location in Flash, and enabling guides for nine-slice scaling.

New Document Profiles

Create artwork quickly by selecting prebuilt profiles for all types of media, from print and web to video and mobile output. New Document Profiles specify setup parameters such artboard dimensions, video safe areas, styles, and color spaces

Crop Area tool

Interactively define rectangular crop areas for print or export. Choose from preset print, web, video, and mobile formats with options for safe areas, rulers, and more, and set crop marks intuitively. You can also define multiple crop areas and easily move between them as needed.

Adobe-standard user interface

The familiar Adobe interface is now more intuitive and consistent across components of the Creative Suite 3 family, making it even easier to move between Illustrator CS3 and Flash CS3 Professional, Photoshop CS3, and InDesign® CS3 software.

Who should use Illustrator CS3?

Illustrator CS3 is the essential tool for graphic artists, video professionals, web and interactive designers, and professionals in other industries who use graphics to communicate ideas visually in print, on the web, in motion graphics, and via mobile devices.

How does Illustrator CS3 integrate with other Adobe products?

Illustrator CS3 is tightly integrated with the entire family of Adobe professional design, web, and video and motion applications. Use native Illustrator files in Photoshop CS3, InDesign CS3, Flash Professional CS3, and Adobe After Effects® CS3 Professional software for efficient production and reliable output. The familiar Adobe interface is now more intuitive and consistent across components of the Creative Suite 3 family.

Are there differences between the version of Illustrator CS3 sold as a standalone product and Illustrator CS3 included in the Creative Suite 3 family editions?

There is no difference between the version of Illustrator CS3 included in the Creative Suite 3 family and Illustrator CS3 purchased separately. Both versions include the same features, functionality, and additional content, including Adobe Bridge CS3. For more information on Adobe Bridge CS3, see the FAQ for Creative Suite CS3 Design Premium.

Pricing and purchasing information

How much does Adobe Illustrator CS3 cost?: The estimated street price for Adobe Illustrator CS3 is US$599, excluding applicable taxes and shipping. You can purchase directly from Adobe or from an Adobe Authorized Reseller. To order directly from Adobe, visit the Adobe Store online or call 800-833-6687.
Which previous versions of Illustrator are eligible to upgrade, and how much does it cost?: You can upgrade to Adobe Illustrator CS3 from Illustrator CS2, CS, or 10 for an estimated street price of US$199. Upgrade versions are available directly from Adobe or from an Adobe Authorized Reseller. To order directly from Adobe, visit the Adobe Store online or call 800-833-6687.
Do I need to prove that I qualify for upgrade pricing?: You can simply purchase your upgrade and verify that you have the qualifying older product during the installation process. If it's installed on your computer, the Adobe installer will either find it or prompt you to help it find the software for verification. If it's not installed, you will be prompted to enter the qualifying serial number for the older version.
I recently purchased an Adobe creative product, and then you announced Adobe Creative Suite 3. Do I have to pay full price for the new version?: It depends on when you purchased the product. If you purchased after the announcement and you have proof of purchase, contact Adobe Customer Service in your region for assistance in obtaining a post-announce upgrade. This is a limited-time offer and restrictions apply. For contact information, visit the Adobe.com site for your country or region and click Contact.
I bought Illustrator CS3 and now wish I had a full edition of Adobe Creative Suite 3. What are my options?: You are eligible to move from your standalone CS3 product to certain editions of Adobe Creative Suite 3 for the upgrade price. For example, if you purchased Illustrator CS3 but now wish you had Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium, you can purchase it for the upgrade price of US$1,599 from an eligible standalone product. Which editions you're eligible to purchase depend on which standalone product you have. For details, see the pricing questions in this FAQ.
I purchased Adobe Creative Suite 2.3, which includes Acrobat 8 Professional, when it came out. Do you have any special upgrade pricing for me?: Yes. If you own Adobe Creative Suite 2.3 with Adobe Acrobat® 8 Professional, you can get credit for the US$159 upgrade price you paid for it. For example, if you now want to upgrade to Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium, you will pay only US$440 instead of the US$599 upgrade price that owners of older versions of Creative Suite would pay. This special upgrade pricing is available only directly from Adobe or through licensing. To get this pricing, visit the Adobe Store online or call 800-833-6687.
Do you offer volume licensing?: Yes. Adobe provides flexible volume software licensing plans through Adobe Open Options, which is offered through Adobe License Centers and resellers. For detailed information about the plans available, visit Adobe Open Options.
Is Illustrator CS3 available at special prices for education customers?: All new Adobe Creative Suite 3 offerings have education pricing. To learn more about Creative Suite 3 offerings for education, including products and pricing, visit the Creative Suite pages in Adobe Education.
What does it cost to move from an edition of Adobe Creative Suite 3 — Creative Suite 3 Design Premium, Design Standard, Web Premium, Web Standard, or Production Premium — to Master Collection?: You can purchase an edition of Adobe Creative Suite 3 and then move up to Adobe Creative Suite 3 Master Collection for the difference in price. For example, if you paid the full estimated street price for Creative Suite 3 Design Premium, you can upgrade to Master Collection for only US$700 — the difference between the estimated street price for Master Collection and the estimated street price for Design Premium. Or, if you upgraded to Web Premium for US$499 and want to move to Master Collection, you will pay only US$1,500, which is the comparable upgrade price minus the upgrade price you originally paid for Web Premium.; To be eligible for this upgrade to Master Collection (and contrary to Section 5 of the End-User License Agreement for Master Collection), you must surrender all rights to and the license for the original edition of Adobe Creative Suite 3 and uninstall that software. This offer is available directly from Adobe, or through Adobe Authorized Resellers and License Centers if you're a volume license customer. Contact Customer Support in your region for details.
Can I switch platforms when I upgrade my software to an Adobe Creative Suite 3 version?: No, you are eligible to upgrade only to a version that runs on the same platform. For example, if you own Adobe Creative Suite 2 for Windows®, you are eligible to upgrade only to a Windows version of Adobe Creative Suite 3.

Support information

In what languages will Adobe Illustrator CS3 be available?: In addition to Universal English, Adobe Illustrator CS3 will be available in these languages: Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and Swedish.; WinSoft is also expected to release Arabic, Czech, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Turkish, and Ukrainian versions of Illustrator CS3. For more details, visit the WinSoft website.
What is product activation?: Product activation is an interactive interpretation of the licensing agreement that has always existed between Adobe and its customers. The activation process authenticates licensed users without hindering their ability to use the software the way they always have. It requires a series of simple, quick, anonymous steps upon product installation or within the grace period set by Adobe. Just as creative professionals use watermarks to protect their digital photos and artwork, Adobe is using activation as a way to curtail unlicensed copying of its products.; Adobe's activation process is required on both Mac OS and Windows systems for all editions of Adobe Creative Suite 3 and related standalone products. For more information about activation, visit the software activation page.
Do Creative Suite 3 applications support Mac OS X Leopard (v10.5)?: Yes, Creative Suite 3 applications support Mac OS X Leopard. Some CS3 applications require free updates for full compatibility, while others are compatible without updating. Learn more about compatibility between CS3 applications and Leopard here.
Do Adobe Creative Suite 3 applications run on Intel® based Macs?: Yes, every edition of Adobe Creative Suite 3 — Creative Suite 3 Design Premium, Design Standard, Web Premium, Web Standard, Production Premium, and Master Collection — plus all the standalone Creative Suite 3 applications fully support the new Intel based Macs. For complete system requirements, visit the area on Adobe.com for the product you are interested in.
Do Adobe Creative Suite 3 applications still run on legacy PowerPC® based Macs?: Many of the Adobe Creative Suite 3 applications are universal binary versions, which means they fully support both legacy PowerPC based Macs as well as the new Intel based Macs. However, Adobe is introducing three applications on the Mac platform — Adobe Premiere® Pro CS3, Encore® CS3, and Soundbooth™ CS3 — that will run only on the new Intel based Macs. Adobe Premiere Pro and Encore were previously available only on Windows, and Soundbooth is a brand-new offering. In bringing these applications to the Mac — and considering the hardware needs of most video professionals — it did not make sense to continue supporting an older computer architecture that Apple no longer sells or supports. This means that Creative Suite 3 Production Premium and Master Collection — both of which integrate Adobe Premiere Pro CS3, Encore CS3, and Soundbooth CS3 — claim support only for Intel based Macs, even though components of each are universal binary applications.
Do Adobe Creative Suite 3 applications fully support the new Windows Vista™ operating system?: Yes, every edition of Adobe Creative Suite 3, and all of the individual applications, such as Adobe Illustrator CS3, After Effects® CS3 Professional, and Dreamweaver® CS3, fully support Windows Vista. They are designed to run on four editions of Windows Vista — Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise (certified for 32-bit editions).
Why don't Adobe Creative Suite 3 applications support the Starter and Home Basic editions of Windows Vista?: The Starter and Home Basic editions of Windows Vista are entry-level operating systems for the casual user. They do not offer the level of support that Adobe's professional creative products require. However, some Adobe products designed for the more casual user, such as Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0, do run on Windows Vista Starter and Home Basic editions.
Do Adobe Creative Suite 3 applications run on 64-bit versions of Windows Vista?: While Adobe Creative Suite 3 software is natively 32-bit, these applications will run on 64-bit versions of Windows Vista. For an in-depth overview of 64-bit computing and its value, please see the blog by Adobe Photoshop software architect Scott Byer.

FreeHand customers

What are Adobe’s plans for the future development of Macromedia® FreeHand®?: Adobe does not plan to develop and deliver any new feature-based releases of FreeHand. Adobe will, however, continue to sell FreeHand MX, and will offer technical and customer support according to our support policies. While we recognize that FreeHand has a dedicated user base, we encourage you to migrate to Adobe© Illustrator© CS3. As a loyal FreeHand customer, you’re entitled to special pricing for Illustrator CS3, along with free access to special resources to help you make this move.
Will Adobe provide ongoing maintenance releases for FreeHand MX?: At this time, Adobe has no plans to provide maintenance releases, patches, or updates for FreeHand MX.
Does Adobe plan to deliver a FreeHand MX release to support Intel©-based Mac computers?: Adobe has no plans to deliver Universal versions of FreeHand that natively support Intel-based Mac computers. While FreeHand MX can be installed and run on Intel-based Mac computers, it must run under Rosetta, which Apple has built into Max OS X to dynamically translate PowerPC-based applications to work with Intel-based Macs. For more information on running Adobe professional applications under Rosetta, please see the document Support for Intel-based Macs.
Does Adobe plan to provide an update to FreeHand MX that will support Microsoft© Windows© Vista™?: Adobe has no plans to deliver a FreeHand MX release that supports Windows Vista.; For more details on migrating from FreeHand to Illustrator, please see the Macromedia FreeHand to Adobe Illustrator CS3 Migration FAQ.

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